10 Problems of Being An Adult Reading YA

Although I’m sworn to be Peter Pan, I did accidentally grow older one day. I won’t say grow up because, HA, that hasn’t happened yet. But I am old. I’m twenty-one. Does this in any way lessen my affection for YA? NO IT DOES NOT. In fact, I tried to challenge myself to move onto Adult fiction and…it didn’t work. Adult books are…ugh. Okay, fine, not all of them are. I even blogged, yesterday, about my luck with an adult fantasy.

But there are GOOD reasons I like YA. Such as:

It’s easy to read. My brain struggles with complex writing.

It (usually) keeps romance low key. This is a personal preference, okay? I just don’t…want…to read about intense steamy romances or sex.

I think I’m still a teenager at heart. I look like one at any rate.

It’s (usually) exciting and raw and heartfelt. And I just love reading that.

But, I will humbly admit…as I grow older and continue chewing my way through the gargantuan stacks of YA books, I find myself occasionally struggling. Maybe I accidentally eye-roll at Stupid Love Sick Teen. Maybe I groan at cliche absent-parents-so-teen-can-have-‘fun’. THESE THINGS HAPPEN. I’m not ashamed. It doesn’t spoil YA for me.

But it reminds me I’m officially an ADULT reading YA now. And that feels weird, okay?!

-~-

1. YOU ACCIDENTALLY AGREE WITH THE PARENTS INSTEAD OF THE HEADSTRONG LOVE SICK TEENAGER.

A lot of time (but definitely not always), teens in YA books view their parents as Problems. The parents break up parties (cause, you know, they don’t want their kids drinking and doing drugs) and tell their kid “NO” to that boy/girlfriend (because said attractive youth is a bad apple) or give curfews (so their kid is alive for school tomorrow). After a while this stuff makes SENSE. And the whiny teen is just…no. Stop. Go to sleep, you have a test tomorrow.

2. YOU THINK THE STAR-CROSSED-LOVERS AREN’T GONNA LAST.

For starters, their both, like TWELVE YEARS OLD. Okay, hahaha ha, heh, sorry. But everyone starts to look twelve after a while. But how can you be sure the creepy dude with wings/halo/devil horns is your One True Love? YOU’RE JUST A CHILD. Go drink your apple juice and shut up.

I’m gonna make a great parent.

3. YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THEY’RE NOT GETTING A FULL EDUCATION. (BYE, BYE, UNIVERSITY.)

All those little “let’s save the world” excursions are going to HURT when finales come. What is it with kids and not studying in YA books? Sure they just found out their parents are serial killers and they’ve inherited the family business, but what about school? Hmm??

4. THE TEENS ARGUING ABOUT THEIR MIDNIGHT CURFEW FEELS RIDICULOUS SINCE YOU ARE ASLEEP BY 9PM.

But I’m probably the only one who falls asleep like a little old granny at 9pm with a book over my face, right? RIGHT? Oh the agony. I’ve bypassed middle age and gone straight to retirement.

5. YOU GET FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THE TEENS DON’T DO CHORES OR HOMEWORK OR WALK THE POODLE.

Maaaaybe I’m alone in this. BUT BACK IN MY DAY, I helped out around the house. I hardly see how most of the teens in contemporaries can even fit in a bit of dusting around their hectic social/partying life.

6. YOU WANT TO GIVE THE 12-YEAR-OLD ADVENTURER CAKE AND WARM MILK AND A BED TIME STORY INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM GO KILL DRAGONS AND GET THEIR EYEBROWS BURNT OFF.

DON’T LET THE LITTLE BABY GO ON AN ADVENTURE. Whenever I read contemporaries and everyone is cruel to the homeless child…and then they get That Quest and go Be Awesome. Meanwhile, I sit there with the book thinking, “Gosh darnit, why are they giving the child pointy knives? Take him home and ADOPT the little darling.”

7. PEOPLE ASK YOU WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO START READING “REAL BOOKS” AND YOU HAVE TO REMIND YOURSELF YOU’RE NON-VIOLENT.

Because punching people in the face is not socially acceptable. (But seriously, how dare they.) It’s really belittling when people assume YA is not “real literature”. IT IS SO REAL. You know how complex and emotional it is to be a teenager?! HMM?? Try summing that up in a 300-page novel. It’s hard work. It’s no less REAL than any other book out there.

8. YOU GET AN INTENSE CRUSH ON THE LOVE-INTEREST UNTIL…YOU REALISE HE’S 16 AND YOU’RE LIKE 10+ YEARS HIS SENIOR.

Erm. Awkward.

9. THE LINE BETWEEN YA AND MG IS BLURRY BECAUSE…THEY’RE ALL LITTLE KIDS, TRULY.

Everyone is little. Everyone should calm down and shut up for a while and be logical. Everyone is exhausting to look at. Agh, my aching old bones. Did I turn 21 or 201?

10. WHEN THE 16-YEAR-OLD HAS EXPERIENCED MORE AND IS MORE ACCOMPLISHED IN LIFE THAN YOU ARE.

It doesn’t get more awkward than this. Sure, we’ve read a dozen books this month, BUT THEY JUST STOPPED A ZOMBIE PLAGUE. After, you know, falling in love, finding their long-lost sister, discovering a sword, embracing their inner magical abilities, oh and probably have a really cool hobby — like building model cities out of pistachio shells.

SO LET US CHAT! are you an adult reading YA?!! do you find people judge you for it? do you ever feel awkward buying/borrowing teen books? CAN YOU ADD TO MY LIST!!? do you ever agree with the parents instead of the teenage-protagonist?? and if you’re still a teen…do you think you’ll out-grow YA or are you set to read it for the long haul? tell me aaaall in the comments.

Comments

I’m eighteen. So I’m in that weird not-an-adult-but-not-really-a-teenager sort of stage, but ahahaaha, the day I become an “adult” is still very very very far away. I hope. My heart will always lie with YA fiction, because, I don’t know. I just love it. (Most of it.) But OMG, it’s not uncommon for me either when I agree with a parent rather than a teen. >.> DEAR GOD DOES THIS MEAN I’M GROWING UP? CAIT, HOW DO I STOP THIS!?

Well… I think I am the extreme example of this at 58. How did it start? I became a busy single mom one day and my little sister, who was a single mom herself, but lives with my mother (the built in babysitter), began being my literary “personal shopper” at the library. She almost exclusively started bringing me YA Scifi. I really enjoyed them and then The Hunger Games came out and she/we branched out into Dystopian. A few years later I became a literacy volunteer and had the excuse that I was previewing books for my adult tutees that might need a less complicated read (even though it is usually Middle Grades I assign, wink wink). When I started book blogging I realized that 90% of what I read was YA. I do, however, prefer YA books that read more like Adult Fiction (big vocabulary, very little/no romance, and not much fashion and make-up). I had a mother that let me go on adventures (traveling with a rock band at barely 16 years old), and it isn’t all it is cracked up to be at an already confusing time of life! I am happy my son was pretty much a homebody in his teens because I would have said no to any adventures. Lol.

I think you are the epically perfect example that YA should NOT be confined to ages! IT IS FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE. *nods* And huzzah for your sister, though, getting you started. 😉 To be honest, I think it was my sister who threw The Hunger Games at me, too, which got me 100% hooked on YA. Sisters are such handy things. :’)

I love YA, but also read anything from classics, middle grade, anything but new adult or romance really. I choose to review YA because that’s the genre I’m more passionate about. At my age, I’m a fully fledged adult, but from the ages of 17 or so until around 32, I stopped reading. I read the paper, stuff I needed to, but no fiction at all. But with my return to reading through *whispers* Twilight, I fell in love with YA and all the incredible reads I missed out on when I was younger. I rate books solely on entertainment value, but the idiotic ones with the stupid heroine, even stupider love interest have me itching to fictionally call up the characters mother and give her a stern talking to. Most YA has horrible parenting. Bad bad parents. I must admit, I did find myself swooning over Warner and Morpheus, but I’m only human.

That reminds me, I need to do my dusting as well. Housework never ends.
Gosh I feel horribly old now.
*runs off sobbing dramatically*

YES, MAMA KELLY. OR GRANDMAMMA KELLY. Ya know, I’m flexible with what I shall dub you. But **gasp** you are a Twilighter? KELLY. HOW COULD YOU.
….haaa, I’m kidding. I don’t actually think Twilight was that horrendous. I didn’t read a lot before 16. I mean I did read a lot compared to the average person, I guess? But one book a week back then compared to one book a day now? UM. SO YEAH. But hey at least Morpheus is ageless so we’re totally okay loving him even when we’re old and in wheelchairs and can’t remember our own names. We’ll just sit there crooning, “Moooorpheus.” And life will be okay.

Oh, yes! I agree with most of these. Especially the last one. Percy literally saved the world at sixteen, Darcy has a best-selling novel and 18. I’m 21 (huzaaaah! we’re the same age!) and when I read books like that I feel like I’ve accomplished nothing in life :/ It’s sad. Real sad. Thank you YA for making me feel like a failure.

AGH. YES. Percy has done everything and been, like, all over America by 16 and…gosh, I don’t think I did anything when I was 16. School? I ate? I read bokoks? haha. OH WE ARE THE SAME AGE. YAY. Like almost everyone here is like 15 and I’m feeling super old. xD

Good lord I hope 21 isn’t old! If so I’m ancient 🙂 Anyways agree with so many things here. I really like YA but yes I sometimes eye roll things. Now that I am a parent I totally agree with the parents more (unless they are those awful evil parent types). I also legit go to bed by 9 as well so I get just tired reading about late night adventures. I thankfully never have had anyone bother me about easing it but I am pretty much all Kindle all the time so no one really knows. For reals on EVERYONE in a book being super people and having done more by 18 than me. Great great post!!!

Pfft, I had a grey hair once. But YES. Of course. We shall glare at the psychotic evil parents, but the normal ones who just are looking out for their dorky brainless children?! I tend to side with them so often. -_- Well that is an EXCELLENT reason to have a kindle, haha! Go you. 😉

These are pretty much spot on especially the last one and number seven. I get asked a lot when am I going to read ‘real books’. My answer normally is that I didn’t realise I was reading another imaginary book but thanks for the update 🙂 It usually leaves them extremely confused.

Dude, you just reminded me that I turned 20 last Saturday. I’m decrepit now. .__. I guess that makes me an adult reading YA.

I’m also an English major/writing minor in a department filled with snooty literature people who only read “real books.” Seriously, the highest compliment people give during a writing workshop is, “Your book isn’t like all the other crappy YA books!” So add snooty English majors to the list.

I do end up agreeing with parents sometimes. Or I screams, “WHY U NO ACT LIKE RATIONAL HUMAN BEING?” Man, hormones must be a powerful thing. But what do I know, I’m just an old fart. *puts on granny glasses*

You are ancient too. YAY. Every second commenter is like 16 here, and omg, I’m feeling old. *hobbles around on walking cane* Aaaanyway. I can’t stand the “real books” mentality. It drives me crazy. >.> And yus, these teens have such a wild case of hormones. Supernatural hormonal mood swings for sure. 0-0

Well, as you know I’m still a teenager. But even now I can barely read some YA because the teens are just so stupid. And also because I can’t relate to them. Like, school takes up SO much time but all they seem to care about are girlfriends/boyfriends? Wow, I’m jaded and bitter already. HAHA AND SO ARE YOU IT SEEMS LIKE. Got your old granny stick out haha.

I think this is a really interesting subject! Although it can seem YA is for a younger audience, I often feel (despite the fact that I’m over thirty) that they handle subjects indifferent to ages. Like struggling, finding his/hers own way, getting to know oneself, be brave and be kind. But, with that said, of course some books highlights the age more than others, and sometimes that makes me feel so disconnected that I usually don’t finish the book because it’s of no interest to me. I feel like that is okay. It’s YA and not adult. But mostly I think it’s a genre worth reading.
I laughed when you wrote about agreeing with a parent instead of the kid. It made me think of my love for Gilmore girls, and how – when it first was on TV – I was seeing it through Rory’s eyes and now I see it more from the view of Lorelai. I think that can be an interesting part of reading, realising that you’re reading it from an other perspective than the book was intended to.
Finally I just have to say that I totally agree with you – it makes me really mad when people belittle YA or MG, because they are often quite complex stories!
Have a great weekend!

And plus not every book is for everyone, right?! I have a severe inability to DNF though. >_< So even if I loathe the book I stick out till the end. Gah! But yes, I think YA is an exceptionally wonderful genre and I wouldn't stop reading it for anything. xD

LOL, this was hilarious. I agree with everything on this list. I hate it when I fall for a main character, and then I realize that that’s just creepy and I should probably go to jail or have my brain reconditioned or something. And even before I became an adult, I found myself agreeing more often with the parents. Like, basically, that was me at thirteen. I think that could be classified as a complex or something. But like you, I do find myself rolling my eyes a bit more–but I can still appreciating where the kids are coming from, that hasn’t changed. I just don’t feel the same way myself–not that I usually did.

And you are not alone in going to bed early–I’m already getting ready for bed by 8:30. And when I read about teens sleeping in I’m like, “Gosh, don’t you have things to do? I was up at 4:20 and already I have cleaned the house and baked a cake and written a definitive thesis on the art of skullduggery–meanwhile you are now climbing out of bed at this late hour of 7:00?????”

Regardless, PETER PAN is one of my top favorite books, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop reading YA, although I do find myself branching out into adult books a little more often.

I have a severe inability to sleep in! IT’S THE WORST. I’m always and forever up at 7 if not earlier. (Usually it’s 6am these days. xD) Which is fine because I’m a morning person but eeeearly nights for me. Omg, I cannot fathom the people who survive on like 5 hours of sleep max. I WOULD BE A CRANKY BERRY.

I always agree with the adults in YA..even though I’m not an adult yet..I go to bed really early, also. Even earlier than nine. Of course, I wake up at five in the morning, so…
I feel like you’ll make a really good parent someday!

YAY FOR EARLY RISERS! I’m a 6:30 riser myself, but I’m awake by 6. XD Mornings are best. Omg, I will be an excellent parent. My kids will get books for all their presents and will have horrifically nerdy names.

I think I read through everyone of these and went ‘yup, oh yeah, oops, done that, gods sake, yes exactly that’ and I’m only 20. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US? When did we turn into grumpy grandma’s and grandads? Urgh, such an unlucky thing. Oh, and the amount of times I’ve wondered why the 14 year olds get to carry knives and I get shouted at for holding a knife and spinning around to answer a question, no, no fair, not to mention the crushing on characters.. oh damn. PERFECT POST IS PERFECT.

*smacks ignorant youth with walking cane* WE’RE JUST OLD GRANNIES NOW, AMANDA. Erk, lend me your shoulder so I may hobble around. (I’m like a full year older than you, omg, I feel betrayed.) I don’t even know how all these YA kids still have all their fingers. I nearly lost mine just chopping carrots once. -_-

I just went through the list going “uh huh, yup, definitely, YES, that one too”. So basically I agreed with EVERYTHING you mentioned. And seriously, 8 happens to me ALL THE TIME. That doesn’t make me TOO creepy right? I mean, I’m 27 BUTTTTT they are always so charming and………….*shrugs* Yeah, I totally feel like a creeper now 😛

I hope I don’t grow out of YA! I mean, I’m a rather uncool teenager anyway (I go to bed at 9 or 9:30, and 10 is crazy on weekends!) Plus if I did anything like throw a party or date someone my parents didn’t approve of, I’d PUNISH MYSELF. I’d say “Off with my head!” So when that happens in BOOKS I either a) think they’re really cool and brave or b) throw the book across the room ’cause THEY STUPID. Usually both. But I still really love these books! So I hope that even though I’m an uncool teenager, I’ll be a cool adult, and can still read MG, and YA, and have a whole room for my kids to read. And then I can enjoy and fangirl about whatever the new Hunger Games or TFIOS is by then, and still enjoy the “classics” that I read in my youth. 😉

YOU AND ME BOTH, MY FRIEND. I was a notoriously uncool teenager (let’s not even talk about my sense of style) but hopefully I’m not going to be a notoriously awful adult? I hear the weird teens make the best and most interesting adults. XD HAHA. Ahem. I don’t even know what I’m saying. CLEARLY I AM STILL WEIRD. So yes. I plan to read YA, probably, for forever.

Haha,you actually sound like a grumpy little old lady rather than a 21 year old:)
Anyway,I myself am 16,which means,I am just in the YA age.But I feel a bit odd sometimes too,in a reversed manner to yours, as I feel too young when I compare myself to the YA protagonists:)
And I hate when people belittle YA. Saying that it’s a genre only for young adults is like saying that pixar movies are only for children! Which is totally ridiculous.
Fabulous post Cait!

*smacks you with my walking cane* DON’T INSULT MY AGE, YOU TEENY TINY ITTY BITTY CHILD. Ahem. But most ya protagonists are 16, right?! oh, well, there are a lot more 18 year olds, I’ve noticed. Which pleases me greatly because I like reading about 18 year olds. xD I feel 18 most of the time.

I’m a teenager and I have no intention of ever growing out of YA… but still, I do occasionally read adult books and they’re terryifying. I do have that problem with feeling entirely unaccomplished at times. And of course I’m in the midst of finals (and worse, final projects) right now, and seriously, homework is important. When you homeschooled did you get exams? Parents are actually sensible and funny and important and I like it when YA shows that (as in, it doesn’t happen often enough) Parents are quite experienced and what they say, in my 15 years of experience can be right. I read Apple and Rain and I was just like “13 year olds have love lives… I don’t even have a love life’ it was confusing, there is far too much romance in the ya book department.
Anyway, interesting post

Adult books are terrifying, not to mention huge. If we have an apocalypse I shall be arming myself with adult books. And NOPE no exams. I mean we had tests and things but there wasn’t nearly so much pressure and it was all very calm. x) I think I would’ve died if I’d had full out hour long exams. *gulps*

(I do NOT understand people who can exist on a few hours of sleep. I NEED MY 8 HOURS, YES. I DO.)

Lol, great post. I’m actually still a teen, but I never got into YA…until these last couple months. And I ran into a lot of these struggles, even as a teen. I nearly always relate with the parents, eye roll at the romances, and my mom wants me in bed by eight pm, so… ha. Hahah.
Yeeeeeaah…I’m a really weird teen. In case you didn’t notice.

I always thought YA was for (loosely) people all the way up to 25. I mean, it’s young adult, not teen, right? But, whatever…

I’m 17 (typing that made me feel so old 🙁 ) but I always read whatever appeals to me. I haven’t outgrown MG, so I doubt I’ll outgrow YA. I never understand the curfew thing, is it American? It sounds American. I’ve never heard ANYONE say it over here in England. What constitutes a “real” book? I have loads of YA and they all feel pretty real to me. I mean, I can pick them up and flick through the pages and…okay, I’ll stop now. Seriously though, it’s SO condescending when people think that books for kids and teens are sub-standard. There’s quality in every age bracket. 🙂

PFFFT. You are a baby, you little itty bitty 17 year old. (Gee, now I feel old.) And it is true, definitely. Good books are GOOD regardless of the genre or age intention. xD I haven’t grown out of MG either. 😉

This is hilarious. I’m an adult who’s getting a master’s degree in children’s lit. You should see the looks people give me when I sit in the library with a giant stack of picture books. If you think being an adult who reads YA is bad, try being an adult who reads picture books.

This was great Cait. I am still a teenager, but the person who told me about the Hunger Games was over 40 years old. She reads YA all the time because let’s face it, there is a whole lot going on in the world of YA right now and a whole lot of great stories coming out. When people judged her she just told them “IT IS RESEARCH…. for that YA novel I’ve been planning to write for the last ten years.”

In regards to #1, I’m reading Little Women for the first time, and my husband had to listen to me go on the following tirade about how Laurie is a spoiled little baby:

“Ok, Laurie. STOP. It’s NOT your grandpa’s job to finance your life! He wants you go into business so that you’ll have a marketable life skill…because, y’know, HE LOVES YOU. There’s something to be said for not starving in the streets, because let’s face it, playing piano during the Civil War doesn’t pay much. Instead of whining about how grandpa won’t pay for you to be a pianist, why not go into business like he asks, save your money, and sell your music on the side? It will show grandpa you’re responsible and make you independent. When/If the music thing takes off, he might still finance you, since he’ll see you took the time to develop another skill as a safety net. And if he still won’t, SCREW HIM BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT YOUR OWN MONEY NOW!”

I stopped at that point and said, “Oh man. I’m WAY older than the intended audience, aren’t I?”
And my husband said, “You’re the grandpa.”

HAHA Cait that last one though….happens ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME. I can’t say that I can relate to you because I’m still sixteen (oh god, I’m a little kid from your perspective. How can this be? We are equally amazing :O) but aaaaaaa thanks for the warning!

Yes to all of this. I’m *cough* years old and still enjoy YA, but as I age I find myself mentally fussing at idiot children more and more often. Of course, I often felt that way even as a teen. Actually, as a teen I didn’t have a lot of patience for teen-focused books/movies and moved straight into “adult” SFF and historical fiction. I think I wouldn’t have enjoyed a lot of the YA novels I’ve liked at my current age when I was 16 or 17 because I just didn’t have any patience for stupidity or hormonal romance. (My also-teen friends must have secretly hated my hypocrisy, haha.)

I didn’t even READ a lot of YA as a teen!! I was reading MG right up until I was like 16 and then I basically graduated into adulthood around the time I got obsessed with YA…soooo I’M SLOW ON THESE THINGS. XD

SO MUCH YES IN THIS POST. I love YA, but I do recently find myself thinking books feel a little “too young” or the teenagers are too dramatic, but then I feel like an asshole thinking that. BUT YOU’VE ONLY KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR TWO WEEKS, YOU ARE NOT IN LOVE. Listen to your parents, goddammit. I still moooostly read YA, but my expectations have become higher. There’s no reason YA can’t be great literature – and a lot of the time it is, but I’m faaaar less patient with some things now.

It is true. *nods emphatically* Literature should be good quality and excellently written no matter the genre. And, like, I’m never consistent about what annoys me, because I can sooo get on board with shipping two airheaded 16 year olds in one book, and then scorn it in the next. XD So I think it has to do with how well the author writes too. xD

Oh Cait, I feel you. I’m going to be 22 on Monday and while I’ve started to bounce back and forth between YA and more adult books, I still want to read all the YA–only to find that I don’t enjoy them as much as I used to for all the reasons you listed. Why are these children doing such dangerous things? Where are their priorities? Why are they all having sex when they should be eating cookies and milk? It makes me feel so ancient! I DON’T WANT TO FEEL THIS WAY. I want to go back to being 16 and bffs with the main character.

Ha I love #7 and #8! I hate it when people judge you for reading YA. Even if I am an adult, I can read anything I want okkkk! It makes me so mad that they belittle YA 🙁 And the age difference thing? You can swoon at any age right? 😉 Hope you have a great weekend Cait!!

This was a great post! They were all really funny and, now that I think about it, remarkably accurate, but I think the best one was number 7. Lots of people look down on YA, but it happens with every genre. I’ve found that fans of literary fiction tend to look down on genre fiction, fans of genre fiction tend to think all literary fiction is pretentious garbage, anyone who doesn’t read comics thinks they’re for children and anyone who doesn’t read YA thinks it’s the lowest form of literature possible. People who genre shame (who are, thankfully, pretty rare on the blogosphere) really annoy me. There are great books in every genre, so the endless arguments about which genres are the best are totally redundant. As a fan of fantasy and science fiction (the two most shitted-on genres along with YA) I can really sympathise with you in regards to number 7 but luckily I think the blogosphere is really open minded and doesn’t really care what you read. Personally, I try to read stuff from as many genres as possible so I won’t become one of ‘those guys’ who are prejudiced against genres they know nothing about. Great post, I really enjoyed it!

Well HUZZAH TO YOU!! Being widely read is such a good idea. *nods emphatically* I want to be widely read too, and while I am in YA…I’m definitely not in adult or comics or anything. (Omg, I love comics, and it’s too true! People think they’re rubbish, or “cheating” for literature, but they’re art and amazing!)

I am 26 and I still read YA and love it. But I have to admit that the older I am, the more YA books start to frustrate me to no end (so I need to alternate and mix adult and YA books). I definitely agree with the parents instead of the teenage-protagonist most of the time and I feel so inadequate sometimes comparing to world-saving teenagers in fantasy/dystopia genre. Still, I cannot imagine not reading YA books anymore.

AGh, yes, and I wonder if those parents are realistic or not?? Because half the time they don’t even seem to notice their kid is, like, dating an angel or something and murdering vampires in their spare time. 0-0 MY PARENTS WOULD’VE NOTICED. hehe.

I’m still in that in-between stage of YA and Adult novels, because I’m at that age in between voting and drinking (because I live in the U.S.A.). I still enjoy YA many times, but I’m also starting to really enjoy YA, for some of the reasons you mentioned, but also because I never realized that there was adult fiction somehow. I’m weird. Anyway, I think getting older and becoming skeptical of teenagers is liable to happen, but I also don’t think I want to stop, because even when I grow up, I don’t want to stop thinking that the problems of teenagers are important and assume that teenagers are silly anyway. Because they aren’t.

Plus I think the problems teens face aren’t that different from what adults struggle with. Relationship problems, family issues, communication fails? IT ALL CARRIES ON THROUGHOUT LIFE. I just think the YA books are written more…engagingly? Like every word is designed to hold your attention, while the adult books need you to be smart and focused? I ain’t smart and focused 100% of the time. *eats YA books because they taste better*

I do worry about being judged for reading YA, even though I know that that worry is ridiculous. I suspect that the people who would probably do the most judging would be the ones who never read, and THEY are the ones who need to be judged. 🙂 OK, maybe not…

One of my reasons for reading YA is the same as yours – it’s just easier. (Is that OK to acknowledge? I guess so, because we both did.) My main problem is that I get distracted easily, and I have a hard time devoting 100% focus to my reading. That can be a problem when reading some adult books.

The main thing that makes me want to shake sense into YA characters is the smothering romances. I want to tell them, “This is not healthy!” And “Obsession does not equal love!” And “You won’t even remember this guy’s name in five years!”

BUT IT IS TRUE! Like it’s hard not to feel judged! I always feel weird when I’m borrowing books and I’ve got Game of Thrones and…Bridge to Terabithia on the same stack. #awkwardness But it’s true. If they’re judging, we don’t really need to care about their opinions?!! *whimpers* Except it’s haaaard.

HUZZAH. No shame in being in love with easier books! I can’t take the philosophies and critical analysis of the human soul in Adult books. It exhausts my delicate brain.

Hahahaha, this made my day. I am an adult who reads YA, and people (um, my mom) do judge me for it. But I don’t ever feel awkward reading YA or checking YA books out from the library. Even though I’m legally an adult (I’m eighteen) I still look like a teen, so. *Wipes brow.* I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow YA, though. My dream in life is to be an author who pens YA fiction, so, like, that pretty much guarantees I won’t outgrow it.

I still look like a teen and I’m 21. -_- I mean, mostly it’s okay and great, but it’s uber awkward when people ask me if I’m still in high school. Um NOPE. Not for like 5 years. I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow YA either. I just want to write it and eat it, that is all.

Too true! I think it became even harder for me when I became an adult (boo) and a parent reading YA. I have to really really be into the idea of a contemporary YA to read it. Books about young girls having school stress or violence make me want to lock up my little girl and never let her out of my sight. With YA fantasy I can at least suspend enough disbelief that it can’t apply to her.

And the fun part becomes listing books I can share with her soon! She says she’ll be ready to hear chapter books when she’s five- wondering if that’s too soon for HP.

Ohh, yes. Too true. 0-0 I guess I don’t have too much trouble with that because I don’t have kids or anything and I find it kind of unbelievable anyway, because I didn’t have those experiences. SCHOOL CAN BE SCARY THO. Especially with the darker YA books where everyone is like, um, murdering each other and stuff. *huddles under bed*

Oh my gosh you’ve read my mind! I’m 22 and totally jaded/still addicted to YA or kids novels! I love books aimed at younger audiences because sometimes they have the best, most original stories. They have less adult junk and I feel like they let me live in Narnia again. 🙂 On the other side of the spectrum I crave realistic fiction if I read a YA book. Love this post, great job!

Sometimes I really think your blog posts come straight out of my brain. I would find it creepy, except it’s so nice to know I’m not alone!

I agree with all of your reasons for reading YA. We already established that sex is not a plot. Newly 27, people STILL think I’m 16. Sure, maybe I’ll appreciate it when I’m 40, but right now I’d at least like to look 22 or something. (Not that I feel like a “real” adult, anyway.) I really do think that many adult books are “ugh.” I have zero interest in reading about middle-aged people getting divorced and feeling generally miserable with their lives. So much to look forward to, thanks.

As for the problems…

1. Nope, you’re not alone. Sometimes I just want to shout, “grow up already” at the MCs. I try to avoid books with characters any younger than 16 (17+ is really ideal).
4. YES YES YES to this. I don’t know how I used to stay up so late, but now I’m on the same page as you with the falling asleep by 9. Occasionally I go wild and stay up reading until *gasp* 11pm.
8. Hahahaha, YEP.
10. Comparing yourself to teenage book characters is never a good idea. Personally, I think lunching on pizza and updating Tumblr is a much more reasonable achievement. 😀

I don’t know if people actually judge me, or if I just project my own insecurities. I always feel a bit embarrassed when (real) adults ask what I’ve been reading lately. It’s silly, really, because a) at least I still read and b) at least what I read is actually interesting. I don’t feel as uncomfortable getting YA books from the library since, as already established, I still look the part.

I can’t imagine a future in which I’m not reading and enjoying YA lit. Growing up, my dad read 90% of the books I did, just so we could have some common ground (I guess?), and it was wonderful. Also, I hope I never relate to those middle-aged people going through divorces and hating life.

IT’S BECAUSE WE’RE OBVIOUSLY LONG LOST SISTERS. Or twins! Definitely twins. Or else, ya know, I just have access to your brain…mwhhhhhahahahaha. < -- I'm epically evil like that. *acts nefarious*
Ergh, yes. PEople think I'm like 16. I'm hoping it's upped to 18? But when I ask my family they kind of stare at me dubiously and say, in taht hesitant way, "Yeah, Cait you totally look 21." -_- THANKS FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, GUYS.
But yes, adults are boring. Divorce and house loans and back problems. Boo. I want to read about magic carpets and little teenagers with pointy ears and stabby teeth. (That's a thing, don't question it.)
AWK. You PARTY ANIMAL. 11pm??? Wild, Maraia, very wild.

THIS BETTER BE FANGIRL-CATH, BECAUSE IN THAT CASE, I EXCEPT. I actually get called a lot of names that aren’t my own. My nephew used to think my name was “cake”, so when he turned 2 and everyone informed he we were eating “cake”…he kind of freaked.

Being an adult is scary. I remember in elementary school I wanted to grow up as quick as possible, but now that I’m in high school, I just want to be an elementary schooler again. *sighs* Anyways, looking at this list, I guess I’m a bit of an adult at heart. I really don’t enjoy reading about romance in books, and I’m actually really disappointed with how far the romance goes in many YA books. It’s just…UGH. And I always agree with the parents in YA books when they are advising lovesick teenagers. Especially when those lovesick teenagers slack off and don’t take school seriously. I just want to scream at them and be like “Maybe you don’t need to be dating right now when you guys are going to break up in like a month. Maybe you need to be doing homework and studying because that’s actually important right now. Or maybe you should spend more time with your friends, who will most likely be around with you longer than your highschool (OR MIDDLE SCHOOL) boyfriend.” Anyways. Rant over.

I neeeever wanted to grow up. Mostly I REFUSED, but, ya know, Peter Pan obviously doesn’t love me like he does Wendy because no one whisked me to Neverland. *stamps foot*

We are like wise and old little grannies, you and I. They should DEFINITELY be focusing on school and family and work instead of that boyfriend who’s too immature ANYWAY and has probably got way too much hormonal and emotional baggage and needs to chill in a corner for a while before pursuing a relationship.

Wait what… I’m an adult? Pfffft. *laughing maniacally* I AM TOTALLY NOT 20 HONEST. I still feel like a kid sooo… NOT FEELING GUILTY HAHAHA.

I’ll admit I WAS freaking out only yesterday about rereading Fairest by Gail Carson Levine and the heroine is 15 and the hero prince is 17 and so awesome and I’m just sitting here going WAIT WHAT YOU WERE TOTALLY LIKE 21 WHEN I READ IT A FEW YEARS AGO. -_- Ahem.

But honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever stop reading YA or get seriously into reading Adult. *shakes head seriously* Adult books are so LONG and DULL sometimes and yes have a lot more sex and unnecessary swearing. Puh-lease. (Though YA does seem to be getting edgier too. *sigh*)

Besides, has no one paused to consider that ALL THE COOL BOOKS ARE YA??? FOR REALS GUYS. YA is so much more creative and the sky’s the limit… I’m just saying. When I go to the library and run my eyes over the Adult fiction I’m just like “…Nope.” However, when I’m in the YA section I’m like OH MY GOODNESS LOOK AT ALL THE COOL BOOKS I WANT TO CHECK OUT 4872938740 OF THEM RIGHT NOW!!!

I may as well just reply to you, Deborah, because SO MUCH YES in your comment. It’s so weird rereading a book and realizing just how young the characters actually were. o.o Like, no, not quite so grown up.
I will probably always read at least some YA. I’ve been mixing in adult books for a few years already, like Ted Dekker, Tim Downs, Robert Liparulo, Karen Hancock, etc. (I have no desire to read most /secular/ adult books, for all the reasons you mentioned.)

Anyway, Cait–FABULOUS POST. I was laughing and nodding at everything on the list. I am totally on the parents’ side (the good ones!) when it comes to stupid, rebellious teens. Maybe that’s because I’ve never been a rebellious teen. Notice I didn’t say I’d never been a stupid one. XD And exactly, where’s the normal, pulling-your-own-weight-around-the-house kind of life? Has a teenaged MC EVER been seen washing dishes or vacuuming or whatever?? See, this must be why they are so often dumb and rebellious–their parents never step in and make them work/obey/be smart/finish school rather than personally go after the gun-toting villains. *nods* XD

@Tracey: I’m sooo glad it made you laugh!! ^_^ Pfft, you weren’t rebellious? I WAS AN AWFUL TEEN. I totally partied all the time, had millions of friends, was very irresponsible, and, gah, what else do evil teenagers do? Gee. See. I don’t even know. I think I left teh house a few times in my teenage hood (for the library) and I dark…apple juice. #rebelliousteen

@Deborah: ERMAGERSH I TOTALLY AGREE. YA IS JUST BETTER IN EVERY WAY. It’s like more imaginative and they get to the POINT faster, whereas Adult books blather on and on and ooooon. Although, tbh, I don’t mind it when YA books get edgy and dark. 😉 As long as the writing isn’t dry or filled with two million unnecessary POVs. Ugh. That’s when I die.

I THINK I’M MAYBE NOT 21 EITHER. I WAS LYING TO YOU ALL. MAYBE I’M JUST 18, STILL? I THINK. IT SOUNDS BETTER. *pretends to be 18 when the world was still young and shiny*

I am old in age, but definitely not in heart and mind. It’s so weird, because a lot of people always think I am 18 and just.. that is years ago and it feels strange to realize that. I do feel like I’m 18. *rambles* Okay, I just struggle with my age :’) I will shut up now, haha.

1. Haha, but to be honest, I already had this when it comes to parties.
2. Definitely.
7. HATE HATE HATE when that happens. Luckily, I never come across someone like that in real life, but the YA-judging on the internet is driving me crazy.
8. YES. And it feels weird. Awkward. And nasty.
10. God, yes. Sometimes it feels awful and then I have to remind myself it’s “only” a book and not something I have to compare myself with.

Omg, I almost always feel 18 too!! And people still assume I’m in school. -_- I have a youngish face or something??? GAH. My little sister (4 years younger) and I have been asked by this old lady, “Now which one of you is older?” and I tried, very hard, not to be offended. HMMPH.

Aaanyway. Yes, the YA judging on the internet can be quite notorious. 0-0 I’ve met a lot of people IRL who’ve asked why I’m reading that stuff. Gosh. Classics are NOT the be all and end all to literature!

OHMYGOD!! Number 10 ALL the way. You’ve basically summed up my life – yes, I have a degree, but they saved the flipping’ world. And have probably kissed more boys doing so than I have in a lifetime. WHAT EVEN IS MY LIFE???
Beth x

ERGH THAT’S HALF THE REASON I HATE NA. Seriously the last NA monstrosity I tried no. one. ever. studied. How?! IRL I see people freaking out over papers and finales and cramming and in books they’re like “Eh, whatever. I need to find true love.” *growls*

OMG YES. I’ve avoided things like that because I feel too old compared to everyone else. Like I’ll be sneaking around the library with my stack of Roald Dahl books. 0-0

THIS POST IS GREATNESS (as are all of your other posts). *whispers* I totally agree with the sleeping at 9pm, I mean midnight, what even? You know what, I actually don’t crush on a lot of YA guys, because they seem to me like they’re too young HAHAHA XD AND SHUSH YOU YOU ARE STILL A BABY CAIT

I’m still two years away from being an adult, but wow. I can’t wait to be all like “BACK IN MY DAY”. xD I guess adults relate more with adults, and teens with teens. Whenever I read YA, the adults just seem horrible (e.g. I just finished The Program and ??? Sloanne’s parents). YA books are definitely ‘real’ books! Are they saying that we teenagers haven’t been really reading up until we start adult books??? :’)

Pfft, you can start using “back in my day” RIGHT NOW. I promise. I throw it at my sister about school all the time and she (ungrateful disrespectful little thing) just rolls her eyes. GOSH. HOW DARE SHE. I am wise and old and all-knowing. < -- legit

Oh, my gosh, yes! I’ve been kind of dealing with this for the past year. I’m going to be 24 in five months! Wow.

Like, I read this book where this teen is drinking and doing drugs and I’m just like “CAN YOU PLEASE STOP?” like at a party. Maybe it’s because I have a sixteen year old sister, but I don’t want to read about teenagers drinking and doing drugs because BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN. BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN AND OMG, WHAT ARE THEIR PARENTS GOING TO THINK? HOW ARE THEY GOING TO FEEL? THEIR POOR PARENTS.

And about the ten years his senior for book crushes, I feel you there. It’s like “Oh, I like that guy. Oh, hey Amber, he’s like 18.” “Oh…”.

THE LAST ONE, THAT IS ME RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE I’VE BEEN ON THIS NOSTALGIA BINGE LATELY WITH KIM POSSIBLE AND TOTALLY SPIES. I’M JUST LIKE “WHY AM I NOT A SPY OR A CHEERLEADER CAPABLE OF SAVING THE WORLD?”

Or with Sailor Moon and Veronica Mars it’s like “WHY HASN’T THE RIGHT CAT FROM THE MOON COME FOUND ME YET TO TELL ME I’M A SAILOR SCOUT AND I HAVE TO GO SAVE THE WORLD” and with VM “WHY AM I NOT A COOL DETECTIVE?”

I just don’t get it Cait, IT’S NOT FAIR.

Okay, I’m totally going to stop now because I could just keep going in all caps and yeah….

YAAAY. YOU’RE OLDER THAN ME. haah. Sorry. xD I’ve just been replying to the comments of the 12 year olds, and omg, everyone is so young and spritely. 0-0 *hobbles around feeling grannish ages* AHEM. But anyway. What was I saying? OH YES. I always freak out, too, when the teens are drinking/partying and all I can be like is, “BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR LIVER, YOU IDIOT? AND THE HANGOVER TOMORROW? WHERE IS YOUR BRAIN?” And then I despair of teenagedom altogether. Gee. And my “wild” moments as a teenager were begging to use the car so I could go to the library. -_-

*pats shoulder* There, there. It’s not going to be okay. But I shall cry with you. Just remember, when we’re 50, we get to go to Middle Earth and be a Hobbit with Bilbo.

I KNOW, RIGHT? I didn’t even internet when I was 12. I only discovered the internet fully at, like 16. that’s when I started blogging. I am just…gah. Shall we feel inadequate and eat inadequate cake together?

Well, on the bright side, I was definitely on the internet by the time I was 12. 🙂 Well, 11 or 12. Still though! No blog, so we may still feel inadequate together. I was on Kidzone (That’s an AOL account you could set up for kids with their “screen-names”)…

I can’t believe you blogged when you were 16! I didn’t start blogging (in general) until I was like, 19.

Cait!! This just made my life!! These are SO on point, the gifs are hilarious, and I didn’t even realise I felt the same way until I read these thinking, “oh my god, that’s me, I’ve turned into my parents”… I’m overjoyed and depressed now at the same time. Oh, well done *round of applause*

BAHAHAHA i just about died when reading this…And I also realized that I’m like six years younger than you. I’m 15! Wow!

Anyway, I thought this was funny because I relate to some of the things even though I’m younger than a lot of the protagonists in YA books. Like, the parents thing? And the curfew? And chores? And whining? Like I never go out on Friday nights…I’m totally spent by then. I usually just curl up with a good book or my laptop and watch videos or something. Who has time for social life? *whispers* not me… And actually, a lot of the reason why I don’t usually read YA is because of the whining. I tried reading the beginning of DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas…and no. I hope I’m never going to be like that when I get older.

I’m seventeen, but I’ve experienced a lot of these for a couple of years now. I started reading YA fiction at an early age, and then I started reading Adult Fiction(just some) at 13. I still LOVE Young Adult. But it’s becoming increasingly frustrating to read. That’s not to say that I won’t be reading YA forever. I probably will, just in smaller doses.

And, ohmygoodness, this post just reminded me of how close I am to crossing that line into adulthood. Why have you done this??

#2 is killing me. HAHAHA THAT GIF. But no, I sometimes still roll my eyes at the One True Love/soulmates thing in YA books, because I’m like: you really believe it’ll last? you’re a child. And #8! OMG. I have so many crushes on teen boys and oops I’m 22. (I promise I’m not THAT creepy). Also, #10. Like how do they even find the time for all of this stuff like saving the world and discovering magical abilities? I’m impressed. I could barely find the time to study, read, and binge TV shows in high school. (I had such an exciting social life).

You know, are we suuuure you’re 21, what with all the young whippersnappers talk? haha, just kidding. 😛 Hilariously true post, Cait!

Yes, just yes to all of these. I struggle with all of these. I swear though, once you hit twenty everyone under you becomes like twelve. Cait the struggle is real. I love Y.A but I roll my eyes practically into the top of my head, when even a sixteen year old says they are in love. Pleease, you don’t even know who you are yet. I also so hate when I fall in love with a fictional character who is so much younger than me. That’s why I loved Morpheus, he was practically ageless, and lets face it, Alyssa was to young for him if anything. 🙂
The worst though is when these twelve year olds, or whatever save the world, and fall in love, and all I did was read, eat, and whine for the past twenty years of my life. It lead to me questioning my existence.
🙂 Great post.

YES. THANK YOU. My little sister keeps telling me to stop calling people 12 but she doesn’t understand. Everyone is 12 now. There are so many reasons to love Morpheus but I DIDN’T THINK OF THAT. omg. He just tripled in wonderfulness. Thank the bookish universe for MORPHEUS.

Ah hem, old lady coming through! No, I am pleased that I am not even close to the oldest person to comment. I checked. I’m not even in like, the top 5. Woo hoo! (As I type this, I am planning on dyeing my hair because the greys are showing, but it isn’t my fault, my mom went prematurely grey too. I AM NOT THAT OLD.)

Okay, um, I relate to #8 in a bad, bad way. First, when I fell in love with Peeta Mellark, and then had to google Josh Hutcherson to make sure it was neither creepy OR illegal that I was in love with him (good news, not even a decade separates us!) And then I watched TFIOS, and that Ansel Elgort is just too cute, and again, I was certain I was going to be arrested, but nope, he’s good too. THEN I watch The 100…. but when I googled them, a lot of them are OLDER than me. So I no longer care about that!

But clearly, I read YA because I am still a teen at heart. I apparently never left, because I am up reading until all hours of the night, yelling at the PARENTS that they do not understand the young love 😉 But SO MUCH yes to #10. They’re off saving the world and I don’t put pants on most days. It isn’t great. (I am wearing pajama shorts, get your head out of the gutter, Cait!) 😉

WHATEVER MAKES YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT, SHANNON, YOU OLD THING. Actually I found a grey hair once. *gulps* Don’t tell anyone.

WOOHOOO! That is terrific that your crush on Peeta/Josh Hutcherson (like, they’re totally the same anyway) is actually viable. *nods* I finally don’t feel as weird with my crushes on most of the superheroes because I’m…um…not that much ridiculously younger BUT LEMME CRY BECAUSE I’M JUST TOO OLD. *ahem*

I can totally relate to these. I am 35 and YA is my favorite genre. I do read Adult, but YA can be so much better. I have noticed also that I am way more skeptical of teenage soul mates now than I was when I was a teenager. I am way more cyclical now. Ha

Oh, yes, this post is wonderful. I’m 28 and I read lots of YA and while some books are just *so good* I want to hug them, I find myself rolling my eyes at others.
I just finished Allegiant and kept thinking: “How is it possible that there isn’t a single adult in this whole city who isn’t a COMPLETE MORON?!” Ok I get that you want your 17-year-old heroine to save the freaking world but would it hurt to have one positive role model/parental figure in the mix? Or rather, one that isn’t killed… Whenever I read about kids saving the world, I ask myself: “What are the adults doing?” Sipping tea and knitting, perhaps, while their young ones play with dangerous weapons? Ugh. It didn’t bother me when I was younger, of course, but it does now…
But yeah, falling for fictional young men… Inappropriate, perhaps, but also inevitable 😉

I mean, I do GET why there aren’t many adults around…beeecause it’s YA and teens want to read about themselves being epic, ect, and etc. BUT. It doesn’t mean the adults have to be stupid, right?! That drives me nuts. *growls*

I am an adult reading YA, now working in a college library managing people who definitely don’t get my love of YA. But I don’t really give a fuck! I LOVE IT! 🙂 And I am not going to stop any time soon. I am missing my old library and the massive YA section that I spent years building… I miss it so badly. I do always think that the star crossed lovers will never last. HAHA and the whole crush on the 16 years olds is so true, so I try not to think too hard about that one!

GO YOU, IS ALL I CAN SAY!!! *sprinkles you with confetti* They’re the ones missing out, amirite?! I can usually get on board with the 16 year olds (except for the last book when the 17 year old proposed to the 16 year old and I maybe choked) but it’s when the 14 and 15 year olds claim to have found the love of their lives. WELL THEN. …. … … no.

Ha! I enjoyed reading this post, and though I would’ve felt about the same way as a teen as I do now (25), I resonated with many of your points. I’ll add that it kills me when protagonists act uber hormonal and forget their brains. Psshh. Who needs rationality anyway??! Lol. Or when protagonists think they’re brilliant, yet act as though they’re, well…not…and never have been? Lots of eye rolling.

But I love YA books. *_* They have a quality of innocence and emotional intensity–and genre blending!–that’s unrivaled. YA is so open to the bizarre; as a writer, possibilities are almost endless (and as a reader, I continue to fall in love with how creative authors can be).

I don’t generally enjoy ‘adult’ novels b/c they’re so gritty. Real life can be gritty enough; when I read, I want to immerse myself in something different. Plus, I want art, not trash…if I wanted trash, I’d go to my trash can and get some for free, you know? Ha.

I love YA a lot too *tackle hugs all the YA books in the world* And, yeah, I have some awkwardness with it now, but I’m not about to give it up for scary adult books. CUE SHUDDER. Ergh. Adults are scary. Authors are wonderfully and insanely creative, right?! I just..afjdaskl I want to read all the books and swim in all the creativity.
EXACTLY! ART! I WANT ART TOO!

HAHAHA holy moly this is so awkward it hurts. Yes, I’ve found myself agreeing with the parents so often, and thinking “ugh, this is just temporary, don’t get so head over heels with this dude and whatever you do, don’t stop going to class and DON’T DITCH ALL YOUR FRIENDS”. Also, yes, they’ve all experienced more than me. And I am definitely asleep by 9 PM. It’s a nice time to go to sleep, okay? Get your 8 hours.

I also find myself getting really frustrated with the petty high school drama. Like, if they’d just TALK to each other, then I wouldn’t have to read about your stupid fight. But no, let’s add miscommunications and ignore each other! Because that’s done a load of good so far!

8 hours is important. I cannot fathom the people who function on like, 4 hours or whatnot. HOW EVEN IS THAT POSSIBLE? Even caffeine doesn’t fix that. *crawls into bed and hibernates*

AGH, COMMUNICATE YOU LITTLE CHILDREN. But then again, adults don’t communicate that well either. But I hate it when the teens ditch their life-long-childhood friends for the sake of some nasty boy. SERIOUSLY??? Don’t do this.

Haha! Oh gosh, number eight! When this happens, I just pretend like everyone’s my age and they’re going to college and not high school =P
I agree with the whole parental theme in a lot of these, like how the teen’s poor choices completely ruined Reconstructing Amelia for me, like she’s supposed to know to not be dumb and give into peer pressure at her age *psshft.*
I used to reaaaallly like novels set in a school or mostly on school grounds, but nowadays they’re all starting to feel the same. Like, how many unique problems can there be in a school, anyways?

Agh, yes, I totally understand! I read a LOT and so many books seem to have the same plot and things. >.> And the same settings and character arcs and…eh. I’m not tired of reading, but it is a bit of deja vu now and then. 😉

You’ve just made my day. I laughed so hard, tears streaming down my face … Thanks so much for this wonderful article. As I am a YA reader as well, but one who is definitely closer to the A than the Y, … I can totally relate to your comments above. And please don’t worry … I do fall asleep at 9 as well (must have to do something with a full-time job and loads of family obligations ;-)) … and the worst are love triangles with teenagers whining about the LOVE OF THEIR LIVE at the cute age of SIXTEEN 😉

Okay but #1 and #2 are a serious problem O_O Case in point in your gif actually – NO ARIEL YOU DO NOT LOVE HIM GO SIT DOWN.

I think it’s good for teens to have late nights… but holy crap 11pm is like super late nowadays. Precious, precious sleep… we need established nap times for adults.

#7 kills me all the time. I’ve read “real literature” – spent two years studying it, actually, and honestly that crap is BORING and full of pretentious white dudes thinking they’re changing the world with their satire. SO I’LL TAKE YA THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

EXACTLY. ARIEL. CHILL, GIRL. YOU ARE LIKE 12. (Everyone is 12, basically.) I need like a lot of sleep, or I’m cranky in the morning. But then again, I know lots of people exist on like 5 hours per night, but OMG. I cannot imagine. Sleeeeep. It’s good.

YAY FOR YA IS ALL I CAN SAY. Sometimes I don’t even think I’d be a big reader without YA. 0-0 YUP. That’s how deep my love flows. *marries YA books*

I totally get the complex writing thing. YA books can complex emotionally rather than emotionally _and_ contextually (complicated writing) like some adult novels tend towards. I can only layer so many things before my poor little brain goes into overload and says, WHOA! I read to take a break from life not to analyze it and figure out the meaning of the red curtains. If that makes any sense.

Oh damn. I’m actually not even a YA but I can totally see these things through your eyes. The chores thing always annoyed me. Shouldn’t a kid be like, “sorry guys, can’t save the world. I need to take out the trash and clean my room.”

Also, the crush thing. JEEZ. I never thought of it that way. For me, it was always like, THIS GUY IS SO OLD WHY AM I CRUSHING ON HIM DAMMIT. I see that we almost have the same problem except it’s a different kind of age difference.

I’m 18, so in that weird stage of not-an-adult-but-not-really-a-teenager. Which makes me want to hurry up and change my blog design, but I call myself a teen and that is not slowly becoming not true. But money. Oh. Moving on… I really feel this post after finishing a book last night that was so TEENAGE DRAMA. Like oh my gosh, I nearly didn’t make it through and the only reason I read on was because I was over half-way and that meant being close to ticking off another book read on GR because it’s sad how much I’m behind on the challenge and yes, really. Sorry for that long, confusing sentence… I don’t mind fluff, but after that book, I’ve come to the realisation that I cannot handle that much drama, at least in book form. I mean, at least if I’m watching it on TV I can munch on popcorn. And popcorn makes everything better, right?

ALL OF THESE THINGS! Especially the ones about agreeing with the parents, them not doing chores, and wanting to punch people who make funny comments about adults reading YA.

Like you, I look 12, I think I’m still 12, but I am an adult reading YA. I always wonder where the parents are. Why are there never any parents in YA? Though I do enjoy reading clever explanations as to where the parents are – they’re usually just rich and absent, because that’s ok.

Oh man! Having a book crush on a YA character is slightly disturbing. Yeah, I’m 30. I shouldn’t be crushing on a 16 year old! Doesn’t stop me though…. 😛 I do have an issue with one true love messes and insta-love. But I don’t enjoy those types of things in any books, YA or adult. And I see plenty of that in any number of books that have romance.

Yes, everything in this post is spot on! I didn’t use to have this problem… but the older I get I do notice more of these things. Maybe that’s why I prefer fantasy/dystopian/sci-fi – because they aren’t expected to have normal lives. The parents one always bugs me! Let’s write about good parents, please?!

Oh, so all of this… XD
I just picked up a book my sister had that I remembered enjoyin when I was little…and realized abruptly that the characters were 12-13. My estimation of the characters’ abilities and the book’s realism took an sharp downturn, to say the least. 😛 (Why are these little children running around saving the day – fighting against adults, no less – while their parents whimper and cower? What kinds of parents are these???)

And while my love for Johnny Tremain remains pretty solid, rereading that book was no longer as much fun once I was past 16 and still not helping to save my country. XD

But I’m pretty sure I’m a YA reader for the long haul. XD There are enough well-written and decently realistic but still intriguing books to keep me hooked for quite a while. 😀

This list is spot on and hilarious! #8 is just plain awkward (Four from “Divergent”, I am looking at you.) because I’m 33 and then #10 is just… I can’t even… UGH. They save the world from zombies, from the apocalypse, from madmen, etc. and here I am, in my 30s and the most I have done in life is nowhere near that kid’s accomplishments. Haha!

Well I’m still classified as a teenager, and I have this, too, Cait, so maybe it’s universal, at some stage or another. Or maybe I’m secretly much older than my actual age. I mean, when I was 12 I felt 16-17, and I’ve always been quite mature (extensive occasional use of caps lock does NOT COUNT AS BEING IMMATURE. It’s just a sign of intense passion), so when a character is behaving in a way that screams ridiculous, I note it. It seems to happen a lot in MG, particularly. And the Ariel and Eric thing? I haven’t understood the reality of that for so long. I thing I liked it a lot, as a child, but that means I just had unhealthy expectations for the future! I mean, so only glimpsed him, really. Helped him out of the water. He didn’t even look in her eyes, did he? And yet that all equals LOVE. Huh. I’m not convinced.
You make very valid points here. Though number 6… well I’m all for outrageous adventures. I would be shooing them off with a packed lunch.
X

I haven’t laughed aloud over a post in ages ^Agree with all of the above. I’m 23 and I’ve always read a mix of adult and YA books since I was a teenager. YA can be so heartfelt, punchy and adventurous so I don’t plan on cutting it out in the future. I’m more of a mood reader so sometimes, I might spend a lot of time reading scifi and non-fiction books but eventually, I’ll start craving something else and find myself at home with YA Fantasy. I like to mix it up since I’m a bit older. Although it sucks when some of my friends are only interested in literary fiction but as long as we respect each other’s right to read what we enjoy, we carry on.

I’m only sixteen, but I’m only kinda terrified of not liking YA later on in life. Your post did appease my little fangirl heart though. 😀 Anyway, I never realized until now but it’s so true; heriones never do chores. That kind of makes me jelous. 😛

I completely understand what you mean. Those kids should learn to sit on their asses and go do some school work. They might be saving the world now, but is that going to pay their mortgage ten years down the line?
I DON’T THINK SO.
And where are their parents? Shouldn’t they be keeping an eye on them? Well, let me tell you something, THEY ALL FAILED IN THEIR PARENTAL DUTIES. SHAME ON THEM. BURN THEM ON THE STAKE.
Ugh, I get you, girl. Sooo much.
Inge and I did a similar post a few months back and you wouldn’t believe the backlash we got for ever daring to insult YA. But here is the thing, it’s just so utterly implausible! Yet people are defending it. Which makes me think… maybe it’s people that are simply stupid? Because if they had parents or childhoods like that, where they were allowed to do anything and acted like a bunch of aggressive little lovesick brats I feel sorry for them. Uffffff.

And this is why you are epic. You’ve hit pretty much every problem with being an adult reading ya right there. #10 is absolutely the worst! I’m starting to hate it when fictional characters out live me. Most days I’m lucky if I can drag myself to work in a good mood, let alone fight crime, find long lost relatives, etc. *sighs* Not just you.

HAHAHA! This post totally cracked me up! You’re such a humorous genius, Cait! But seriously, if there’s one thing that I wish for MG and YA books, it’s that I wish there were parents more. Seriously, 9 out of 10, the parents aren’t there at all. I would rather that the parents save the world and their teenage son helps them or does a mission that’s absolutely vital to the cause’s success, you know what I mean?! When I was 18 I still needed my parents for guidance and everything. When I was 16, I DEFINITELY NEEDED THEM EVEN MORE. So where the hell are they?!

Oooh, I loved this! I did, I did! Judged.. ugh. I do get the glazed over, “I’m so not interested in this conversation” look when I respond to the question, “What do you read?” with “YA.” I feel so dismissed. (I get the same dismissiveness over my job. “I’m a children’s bookseller.” “Oh…ok. Well, it’s a job.” Oh my god, you do not know the joy in hand selling books to teens, seeing interest and excitement spark in their eyes as you recommend certain books to them, and then seeing them take them to the till to pay for. Do not dismiss my job as worthless! But I digress.)

I don’t feel awkward buying teen books, because I tend to buy them fom my own shop (staff discount, FTW!), and am served by m colleagues in my department, so it’s all good. I sometimes feel awkward reading them in public, like on the bus, but seeing as most people assume I’m somewhere between 16-18 (I’m 28), I don’t really get strange looks, so I guess it’s fine.

I don’t necessarily agree with parents, but I find myself having parental thoughts. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU’RE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED! This is a common thought. I also sometimes worry about characters acting on impulse and not thinking through, and seeming to lack in good ol’ common sense. There have been characters I have wanted to give a good shake.

This is entirely too accurate. I hate adult books. I want to read about people having adventures, not affairs. Yuck. But sometimes I just feel these teen characters need to grow up. I mean, sure they’ve got problems, but give it a year or two and they won’t care anymore whether that cute girl at school notices them. And yes, I feel slightly embarrassed being caught reading a YA book. (I tell people I’m doing research so I can write for the YA genre.) Great post!

I often have a problem with that first one. I find myself thinking that the “unreasonable” parents are pretty darn smart. ‘Cause, yeah – I would totally not let my kids get away with (insert ridiculous behavior here). Oh, but I did actually marry my high school sweetheart, so that one isn’t a problem for me. 🙂

I don’t think I’ll ever out grow YA books. I’m 22 and there’s something about the teen period of someone’s life that really defines one as a person. It’s a really pivotal stage of life where you’re caught between being a kid and an adult and there are lots of dynamics in it. And the fact that I write YA is one changing factor lol. I’ve tried adult and I’ve only found one series I like. I tried another one and it’s like f-bomb, f-bomb … Oh and look more f-bombs and all in the first 10 pages. Wow. Why am I reading this?

Oh, I agree with these so much… especially about steamy scenes! I don’t mind reading them, but I prefer how innocent YA romances can be. I think YA would be my favourite to read. I can’t say I’ve ever really had any judgement for reading YA, but then I’m 22 and still look 18 (at the maximum! xD)

I’m part of the PeterPanForever team as well, and we know why that is. I refuse to grow up! Even thought I have a little kid of my own hahaha! So my boyfriend’s practically raising 2 kids!

Well no one ever bothers to ask what I read, and no one has ever judged me for it, I think. I think I’m the one who judge people when I see them read weird adult stories lol! Like your too young to read those stuff, here have some YA! It gives you long life I guarantee it! Hahahaha

YA fiction is more real than most adult fiction. I’m convinced of it. I do not read enough adult fiction to actually prove it. But I don’t think the “grown up books” are nearly as immersive or interesting, or raw and exciting. And they take themselves far too seriously. Even the really good, complex YA isn’t all big-headed about it. Also, I don’t want to read the intense steamy romance scenes either. I like that in keeping the romance low key it’s more about the emotions and the relationship dynamics than just the physical connection. Because that can easily turn into lazy writing. When you don’t have it as a crutch you have to do more with your characters and I really like that.

I will be 27 at the end of the summer, but I still love reading YA! I think one of the hardest things I have about it is that I’m just harder to convince that some things in books are realistic. Like #10 on your list…. When I was sixteen, I was mostly concerned with getting homework done on time and how to talk to that cute boy on <a href="Hyperlink Code“>AIM (because I’m OLD). ALSO I find a lot of the romance parts of YA to be less than believable most of the time, even though I was pretty boy crazy myself.

I’m pretty sure I read this when you first published it, but I stumbled across it again today and it’s still 100000% perfect. Because I’m 24 and I still feel like a teenager on the inside…until my face and my palm collide.

LOOOL. Fantastic post. I’ll be honest, I have really started to slide away from YA novels. Too many of them have been driving me crazy. I think I’ll just wait for you to tell me what’s good! XD Thanks for sharing!!

I just stumbled upon this post, but was so happy to read it. My reading habits are all over the place (I just finished both The New Jim Crow and Sailor Moon, Vol. 1, if that gives you any indication)!

One of the reasons I like to read YA, as a mid-thirty something adult, is because we just didn’t have that many books in the genre when I was growing up. The first Harry Potter was published a month after I graduated from high school; I was in grad school when Twilight came out.

As a teen, there were very little authors that bridged the gap between middle-grade and adult. I mostly read Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Danielle Steele, and the like between the ages of 12 – 18. I WISH I had the amazing authors that are publishing YA books today when I was a teen! Especially in the fantasy genre, which I have grown to love as an adult.

Yayy I’m so glad you’re a fellow adult YA fan!! There are just so many stories and the genre is so huge and exciting and relatable! I didn’t actually read a lot of YA as a teen either, because I was more into middle-grade, but I’m so so glad it exists for all of us now. :’)

I just finished reading Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare, one of my favourite trilogies. I thought I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I usually would any of Cassie’s pieces because it wasn’t interesting. But after thinking a bit about it I’ve realised that one of my favourite things about YA books, especially fantasy ones, was the ability to easily insert myself into the story even if it was as a background character. The thing is that I read all of her books as a teenager and now at 21 I was older than all of the characters and I found it so difficult to insert myself into the story. And like you said, I felt weird having crushes on 17 year old boys. It’s heart breaking to think that I will never enjoy YA books as much as I did when I was younger. 🙁